New grads don’t quit veterinary medicine because they “can’t handle it.” They quit because the mentorship they were promised never actually shows up. They need a real mentorship plan before the first bad case hits.

In this episode of Irreplaceable Truths, Dr. Gershon Alaluf sits down with Dr. Moriah McCauley, DVM, host of the podcast So You’re a Vet… Now What?, for a practical conversation about mentorship, confidence, and what new grads actually need to survive their first years in practice.

They unpack what real mentorship actually looks like, what clinics often mislabel as mentorship, and why early-career vets can spiral into anxiety even in supportive environments.

Dr. McCauley shares how she handles mistakes, builds psychological safety, avoids coddling, and helps mentees grow real confidence. The conversation also covers new-grad fears around lawsuits, documentation pressure, why mentorship agreements matter more than signing bonuses, and how she’s using AI tools in practice to reduce after-hours charting and strengthen clinical decision-making.

🎧 What you’ll hear explored:

— What mentorship is supposed to look like in the first 3 to 6 months

— Why new grads spiral even when they have support around them

— The difference between worry that helps and worry that harms

— How mentors can build confidence without taking over

— How to handle mistakes while protecting learning and trust

— Why fear of being sued is rising in new grads

— Why mentorship agreements beat signing bonuses every time

— What vet schools still miss when training doctors

— How AI is changing workflow and medical records in real clinics

— Why urgent care can sharpen skills fast

🐾 Who this episode is for:

— New grad veterinarians trying to find their footing

— Mentors and medical directors building healthier training culture

— Vet students who want realistic expectations before graduation

— Practice owners who want to retain doctors long term

— Anyone navigating anxiety, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism in vet med

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 When worry helps and when it harms

02:08 Dr. McCauley’s path from New York to Edinburgh to Virginia

06:46 What mentorship should actually mean in a job

19:32 Anticipatory anxiety before work even in a strong hospital

23:13 The fastest way to break rumination and isolation

25:32 A missed murmur and the real lesson about communication

35:40 How to structure mentorship expectations in writing

40:20 How much leash a mentor should give without risking the patient

50:01 Why new grads fear lawsuits more than ever

54:57 Mentorship agreement vs signing bonus

1:03:14 The AI tools she is using right now and what they fix

📚 Resources Mentioned:

— Dr. Moriah McCauley on Instagram: @dr.moriah.mccauley

— "So You’re a Vet… Now What?" Podcast available on all major platforms

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

📸 Follow: @Pacific.Lens.Studios

📥 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

Ep. 61

#VetMed #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #NewGradVet #VetSchool #VetBurnout #ImposterSyndrome #VetLeadership #VeterinaryAnxiety #VetAI #IrreplaceableTruths